Present day virtual reality (VR) headsets are designed to provide an immersive experience for video games, simulations, etc., by displaying stereo images to the user's eyes in order to provide the user with a seemingly real experience. VR headsets are typically worn over a user's eyes and are designed to physically block out the real world using “blinders” on the sides and top of the VR headset, similar in concept to a pair of ski goggles, occluding the peripheral vision, and focusing the wearer's attention on the view straight ahead, namely the computer-generated VR world. The blinders can be made of various materials, such as plastic, metal, rubber, and/or the like. That way, the user's vision is focused only on the stereo images for a more realistic experience.
FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate exemplary VR headsets. FIG. 1A shows the Oculus Rift VR headset 100, FIG. 1B shows the Sony Morpheus VR headset 110, and FIG. 1C shows the Samsung Gear VR headset 120. Each VR headset 100, 110 and 120 includes a blinder 102 to occlude the peripheral vision of the wearer. Such blinders help to provide the wearer with a deep level of immersion into the virtual world.
While using blinders on VR headsets is good for the experience (e.g., gaming experience), such blinders preclude the user from performing simple tasks, such as seeing a nearby keyboard, mouse and/or game controller, or other real-world objects such as their coffee mug on a nearby table, or other people in the same room. As another example, it is often difficult for VR headset users to access and interact with menus being displayed on real-world objects (e.g., such as tablets, computer screens, televisions, and/or the like). Simple desktop selection actions, such as choosing a file to open, selecting a texture to apply, or picking an object from an inventory, become very difficult to do with any sort of precision. Therefore one side effect of the occlusive nature of these and other VR headsets is that the wearer is situated in the real world (e.g., at a desk) of which they have very little, or no, awareness.
Additionally, with some VR experiences (e.g., experiences with movement), the user may lose their real-world frame of reference, and therefore VR headsets can cause motion sickness. Such motion sickness can be exacerbated when the user cannot perceive the real world.